Charting the internet pop world one blog post at a time.

It’s hard not to like when two rather disparate talents come together to add to the versatile appeal of the original song. Such is the case as Halifax’s Famba (you’ll remember last year’s “Right Here Right Now”, “Space”, or his Norwegian gold single “Vibe”) puts his remix talents up against the always fine songs of Coquitlam, BC’s talented Tyler Shaw, whose new single “Cautious” is breaking at Canadian radio. The harder edges of Famba’s electronics amp up “Cautious” for play at more pop-oriented dance clubs. Tyler’s voice and the song’s intense lyrics work well in the mix. So both singer and remixer, and their fans, benefit big time in the end. Give it a good solid listen at the link above.

It’s a very welcome return indeed for Scott, and triplets Dave, Bob and Clint Moffatt as they are back in the pop realm with “Secrets”. You’ll recall that the lads were the toast of Canada in their mid-teens, initially with country-pop that brought them success in the US, and then ultimately craving a more mature sound, busted out with some punchy rock with huge Canadian hit “Bang Bang Boom” and the Submodalities album, even hosting the Juno Awards one year. Perhaps it was all a bit too quick and soon before it all imploded, with the guys all following different musical paths over the next 15+ years. They have always had a huge fan base in Malaysia and southern Asia which has never let go of them. So fans are in for a treat with “Secrets”, a slice of radio-ready pop that shows the guys have always had their ears attuned to what’s contemporary. Certainly spreading their stylistic wings over the last many years had tightened their sound as a group. So it looks like being in your early 30’s and making a comeback can be very real beginning with the right song. Listen for “Secrets” on Canadian radio and I urge fans of simply solid pop/rock songs to check this out by watching the lyric video above.

One of the most talented new singers from Canada is back with his first single in over 2 years. My fellow Scarborough denizen (along with The Weeknd) Francesco Yates remains someone to watch after such a promising debut with his self-titled EP, following it up with a standout vocal on the much-played international hit “Sugar” by Robin Schulz. Since then “Come Over” and other songs have been in the works while the singer occasionally made local concert appearances, which continue to solidify his outstanding stage presence and guitar playing. “Come Over” is a sexy piece of business, set to a lilting Spanish cha cha-like rhythm which could be played on radio and in clubs next to the reggaton of “Despacito” for a wickedly smooth flow that will keep listeners’ attention. Francesco possesses an excellent, diverse, and wide-ranging vocal talent that will continue to be recognizable on Canadian radio. I’m hoping that the charm of “Come Over” as well as what will come next will allow for another international breakout for the hard-working and talented Francesco. Add “Come Over” to your playlist of promising vocalists at the Spotify link above.

Long-time staples on the international dance scene who always draw a sizeable crowd, Toronto’s Keys N Krates are back stronger than ever and perhaps more on a pop tip with “Music To My Ears” from their new album Cura. It was wise to bring in multiple award winner R&B/pop singer Tory Lanez, also hailing from the greater Toronto area, who provides a recognizable and playful vocal to “Music To My Ears”, which certainly doesn’t sound like what we’ve heard from K N K before. This is really fresh-sounding, standing out amid so much sound-alike dance music in 2018. Listen for “Music To My Ears” in clubs and on radio, which by all rights should not miss out on playing what is an obvious hit in the making!!

It’s another global collaboration, this time newcomer producers Beau Collins from The Netherlands and Sweden’s Osrin with the sophisticated and pretty “Wonderland”. Not only does “Wonderland” have layers of interesting synths and drops in all the right places, it features an appropriately gracious vocal by award-winning Canadian singer Maggie Szabo, who is now based out of L.A. That vocal is always on point, and I enjoy that that producers have kept it a little gritty in spots. The signs are all pointing to 2018 being a year filled with futuristic emotional electronic pop, whether sad or uplifting, and “Wonderland” is off to an early start in that regard. And if these guys are as young as they look, then we’ll be hearing plenty more of Beau Collins and Osrin.

“In The Mood” combines many winning elements to make a sunny pop and dance hit for the winter month. It comes together courtesy of Belgium’s Henri PFR and Romeo Blanco featuring a delightful vocal by Canadian Family Channel favourite Veronica. It’s already a Top 30 chart hit in Belgium (Sony is behind it there), with Canada (where it’s an independent release) not far behind with lots of initial pop radio support thanks to Veronica’s presence as well as having Canadian songwriters. The video for “In The Mood” is also both sly and enjoyable and well worth a watch at the link above. I think you’ll be hearing “In The Mood” a lot over the next several months. Some dance remixes would also enhance its staying power!

Paperwhite is the brother-and-sister collaboration of Katie and Ben Marshall, with Katie on vocals, Ben producing, and both as co-writers. Their pop song “Only Us” is a perfectly likeable slice of life that is even more uplifting in a remix by Martin and Tristan of Canadian production/remix duo Young Bombs. One thing that sets Young Bombs apart from others in the dance genre is that they know how to pounce on a dynamic vocal and make it even more the centre of attraction. Katie’s voice can suit any genre, and Young Bombs play with and reshape how her voice comes across, particularly in what is pretty much a big new chorus that will resonate well through huge club speakers. This is all done without taking anything away from the original inspiring song. Make sure you add it to your collection by purchasing the Young Bombs remix of Paperwhite’s “Only Us” at your favourite digital music store.

While my blog posts tend to be full of electronic dance pop, when a solid rock song comes along I am always happy to write about it. This is even better when the talent is not far from home in the form of St. Catharines, Ontario rock quartet Kaptur with “Futureproof” from their EP Go To Waste. This is tasty new rock – think Cage The Elephant via later Radiohead with some sophisticated 80’s new wave alt.rock inspiration thrown in – anchored by wicked guitar playing (Johnny Marr comes to mind for some reason), layered production, and solid songwriting which makes the 5 minutes of “Futureproof” go by in a flash. So rock up your mix and get “Futureproof” for freeright here.

‘Tis the end of summer season that is very befitting for duets, and you can add “Space” to that list fresh out of my own homeland. At the helm, we have Halifax producer/DJ Famba – he of the fun blast “Right Here, Right Now” that got to #2 on my chart late last year – along with two vocalists from Hamilton, Ontario, Justin Toito and Karli. Although I haven’t heard of either before, they both appear to have significant online followings. And what a pairing – this is one dazzling duet that is not a dance song about outer space (despite the artwork), but about the space when you’re in a relationship, and how that often gets closed to where we are together as one – no space between us required! Their warm, graceful vocals are what set the song apart from other duets. “Space” is a romantic, pop/dance treat to tingle your emotions and go for a whirl on the dance floor too. Famba and team have a winner in which Tipsy Records once again has partnered with the great taste of Epic Oslo 🙂 Give this one a solid listen above as I expect you’ll want to move quickly to buy your copy for your own mp3 library 🙂

The dance music world can seem so closely knit together when you find a song by Canadians released through an Italy-based label. So chalk another one up for Manifesto with “Bad Decisions” by producer Frame featuring fellow Montrealer Bijou on vocals. What starts off kind of like dreamy Billie Eilish-meets-Gwen Stefani with a lazy vibe somehow transforms into a darker, minimalist electronic song that is entirely captivating and something Lana Del Rey might appreciate. You’re not entirely sure if the subject of the song is actually making bad decisions because she wants to, though she sings about not knowing why, making it an interesting and convincing puzzle. “Bad Decisions” will keep those heads nodding and toes tapping in the wee hours at a club. Make a good decision by getting your free download for now at the link above.